Shot Through the Heart (Crimson Romance)

by D'Ann Lindun

  Her heart twisted. How could any woman treat someone so good and honorable as Derrick like that? He had done nothing but be Laramie’s rock. If it hadn’t been for him, she might not even be alive. How had he been so decent when he had no reason to trust her, or any other woman? She took a step forward and reached out. “Derrick — ”

  He dodged her hand. “You ready?”

  Hurt that he avoided her touch, she dropped her hand. “I am.”

  At the front door, he waited until she went through, then locked it behind her. Zeke and Zephyr followed her to the pickup. Leaving them behind tore a hole in her heart. “Stay.”

  “No way.” Derrick opened the door. “You’re not leaving them here. They can sit with Turbo.” The three dogs jumped in and settled themselves in the truck’s backseat.

  Gratitude filled her heart. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome. Let’s get out of here.”

  • • •

  State patrolman Brendan Cook met them at a truck stop near Grand Junction. He and Derrick shook hands, and then Patrolman Cook greeted Laramie with a friendly smile and firm handshake. After they placed their orders for coffee with a tired-looking waitress, Cook leaned back in his chair. “What’s this all about?”

  Derrick shared a look with Laramie. “It’s a crazy story, but it’s all true, and we need your help.”

  “I’m listening.” He looked intently at them.

  Laramie’s words came slow. “My brother is Lawrence Porter, the sheriff of Cliffside. He uses drugs, specifically cocaine.” She waited for the skepticism, but none came. “He is — was — married to my friend, Julie.”

  Derrick broke in. “Sheriff Porter murdered his wife — ”

  Cook held up his hand. “Hold on. You’re telling me an officer of the law is a killer?”

  “That’s right.”

  Laramie’s heart sank. Just like everyone else, this man was going to turn his back because Lawrence was a cop. “We’re telling the truth.”

  Cook pulled a notebook and pen from his pocket. “I need to make notes.”

  Her heart lifted a little. Maybe he would believe them after all. “Lawrence has a serious drug problem, and when Julie tried to stop him from using, he beat her up. She came to my house to hide until she could figure out what to do. Lawrence found her there, and he killed her in my barn — ”

  “Did you witness the beating or the murder?”

  “No, but I saw her bruises when I went to get her … and I woke up next to her body.”

  Cook raised an eyebrow. “He tried to kill you, too?”

  She nodded. “Yes. But he only knocked me out.”

  Derrick picked up the story. “When Laramie didn’t die in the barn, he threw her over a cliff.”

  “You know this how?” Cook made another note in his book.

  “I found her, and also the body of her sister-in-law.”

  Laramie held out her bruised arms. She then turned so her back was toward him and lifted the edge of her shirt to show him her mottled black, purple, and blue skin. “See?”

  The patrolman ran a hand over his face. “Wow.”

  “We know it sounds crazy,” Laramie said, “but then last night Lawrence tried to kill Derrick.”

  “What?” The officer looked incredulous. “How?”

  “He shot at me,” Derrick explained. “I didn’t see him, but I am reasonably sure no one else would aim a loaded gun at me and pull the trigger. He hit me on the head, too.” He showed the wound.

  Cook closed his book with a snap. “This is outside of my jurisdiction. I need to turn this over to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.”

  “Do you know someone who will take this seriously?” Derrick toyed with his coffee cup.

  “I think I do.” Cook pulled a cell phone out of his pocket and dialed. When someone on the other end answered, he said, “Put me through to Jack Stone.” After repeating Laramie’s story to someone on the other end, he hung up. “Do you have somewhere safe to stay until we can apprehend Mr. Porter and talk to him?”

  Laramie shook her head, but Derrick silenced her protest. “My place.”

  “What if Lawrence comes back?” Laramie feared her brother stalking them there, but she didn’t want to go home, either.

  “I’ll be prepared now,” Derrick said.

  Cook frowned. “What do you mean?”

  “I mean I won’t be caught unaware again.”

  “Don’t start packing a weapon,” Patrolman Cook warned. “That’ll just lead to somebody getting killed. And you don’t need that.”

  “I’m not going to shoot anyone, but we need to protect ourselves.” Derrick looked at Laramie with a protective glint in his eye. “Lawrence isn’t going to hurt Laramie if I have anything to say about it.”

  “He’s not going to bother her or anyone else because there’s an APB out on him.” The patrolman signaled the waitress. “I’ll keep you updated, and someone from the CBI will come out to interview you later today. You still live in the same place, out on Otter Road?”

  Derrick nodded.

  Laramie said, “I really need to contact my parents, but they’re in Denver. Is it okay if I travel over there today?”

  “Maybe you should call them,” Derrick suggested.

  “I think you should meet with the CBI investigators first,” the patrolman urged. “Keep you out of harm’s way.”

  Relief filled Laramie. Finally, someone took Lawrence’s problems seriously. If someone would have listened sooner, Julie might still be alive. “I can’t thank you enough.”

  “Just doing my job, ma’am.” He laid a bill on the table and stood. Derrick stood, too, and the men shook hands. “I’ll be in touch later with where the CBI guys want to meet up.”

  After Cook left, Derrick sat again. “You hungry?”

  “No.” Tension seeped out of her, leaving her exhausted. She could’ve slept for days. “I need to rent a car — ”

  “For what?” He took her hand in his. “You don’t think I’m letting you drive yourself, do you? I’ll take you wherever you need to go.”

  She protested. “You have to get back to your own life.”

  “Until your brother is safely behind bars, this is my life.” He looked into her eyes and tightened his grip on her hand. “And so is protecting you.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  After they met with the CBI investigators, they headed back home. Funny enough, Laramie didn’t consider her house home any longer. Home was with Derrick.

  As they passed back through Cliffside, Derrick insisted they move Laramie’s horses to his ranch. “They’ll be safer with you.”

  Laramie nodded reluctantly. “I hate imposing.”

  He looked her way, his eyes dark with something she couldn’t read. “You’re not, so quit worrying.”

  “I’m used to taking care of myself.” Before Derrick came into her life and took over, anyway.

  “Are you used to being stalked and shot at?” He sounded grim. “Because I’m not.”

  “No,” she admitted.

  He turned into her driveway. “Do you have a horse trailer?”

  “Yes, it’s parked by the back of the barn.” Her pulse sped up. Was Lawrence lurking around, waiting to shoot at them? She avoided looking at the barn as Derrick backed his truck to the trailer and hooked it up.

  “Where do you keep your halters?”

  She opened the truck’s door, and the three dogs bounded out across her lap. “In the tack room. I’ll get them.”

  “I’ll do it,” he said. “Meet me by the gate.”

  More relieved than she wanted to admit that she didn’t have to step over the spot where Julie died, Laramie moved toward the field. The dogs followed at her heels to where the horses grazed peacefully in the pasture. Still, her skin prickled. Had Lawrence done something else? Even though she hated the idea of going in the barn, the need to be near Derrick overwhelmed her.

  Entering the dim building, she blinked as her eyes adj
usted to the low light. A string of bright yellow crime tape circled the spot where Julie’s body had lain. Derrick stood looking at it. He turned to her. “You should have waited outside.”

  “I felt weird,” she said. “The cops were here.”

  “Looks like it.”

  “I wonder why your state trooper friend didn’t tell you.”

  He shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ll call him and find out.” Ushering her out of the barn, he dialed his cell. “Brendan? Derrick Garrison here.” He listened for a few minutes. “Thanks, buddy.” He hung up.

  “What did he say?”

  “Brendan talked to his supervisor, and his superior called the sheriff in Santa Anita.” He moved close and put his hand on her shoulder. “The firefighters and Santa Anita police found Julie’s body. They’ve been in touch with the CBI and they’ve put out an APB on Lawrence. Apparently, he’s on the run. No one’s seen him since he shot at us.”

  Laramie sagged and Derrick caught her. For a minute, she stood in the safety of his arms. “Thank God.”

  His lips smoothed over her hair. “It’s going to be okay.”

  “I hope so.” For the first time, Laramie felt like things might turn around. But until Lawrence was apprehended, she wouldn’t rest easy. That couldn’t happen fast enough. She moved out of Derrick’s arms. “I’ll get the horses.”

  “I’ll hook up the trailer.”

  • • •

  Before they unloaded the horses in Derrick’s corral, he told Laramie to stay in the truck. He took his rifle from the gun rack and handed it to her. “I don’t want to have to worry about you. Can you shoot?”

  She frowned. “Yes.”

  Looking at Laramie with steely determination, he placed the rifle in her hands. “If anything happens to me, shoot the son of a bitch. And don’t miss.”

  “Okay.” Reluctantly, she watched him walk away with Turbo on his heels. Locking the doors, she watched him go inside his house, her heart pounding rapid-fire beats. He came back out a few minutes later holding another rifle. He disappeared into the barn, reappearing momentarily. Laramie let out a sigh of relief she wasn’t aware she’d been holding.

  He came to the truck, and she unlocked the door. “All clear?”

  “Seems so.” He placed his rifle in the gun rack, and told her to keep watch while he let the horses go. “Let’s turn the horses out.”

  Laramie scrambled out of the pickup, her dogs following. Derrick turned the horses into the corral and threw them a bale of hay while she held the gun. She could get used to being Derrick’s partner. Partner. Lover. Friend. All of it.

  He interrupted her thoughts. “Do you need to call a minister?”

  Her heart jumped. A minister? Would he someday ask her to marry him? She’d gladly accept. “Yes.”

  He gestured to a phone on a cluttered roll top desk. “You can use that if you like. There’s a phone book in the top right hand drawer. Do you have one?”

  Lost in thoughts of being his partner, Laramie reached for the phone and noticed the light on the answering phone blinking. “Derrick? You have a message.”

  He turned around, came across the room and pushed the button. A woman’s voice carried through the room. “Mr. Garrison, this is Ramona Quintana. I have the lease on the forest near Wild Jack’s mine. Your cattle and mine are mixing. I know the fire on the other side of the mountain must have pushed your cows over the top, but we need to separate them right away. I don’t think either of us wants my longhorns and your Angus to breed.” She left her phone number and hung up.

  “Damn.” Derrick sighed and ran a hand over the back of his neck.

  A wave of guilt washed over Laramie. Since he’d met her, Derrick had put his own life and his own concerns on hold. She placed her hand on his elbow. “I’m sorry for keeping you away from your business.”

  “You haven’t. Lawrence has.” He sounded grim.

  “Then let’s get them.”

  He looked at her in surprise. “You can’t. You have a funeral to plan.”

  “I can put it off for a bit.”

  He shook his head. “No, you can’t.”

  Despite disliking bossy tone, Laramie was relieved not to be left on her own. A week ago, she would have said she was completely self-reliant. Now she couldn’t imagine life without Derrick’s strength. “I insist.”

  He dialed his cell. “Mrs. Quintana? Derrick Garrison here. I got your message.” Laramie waited until he hung up for his report. “I need to get my cattle off her leased land, but end of the week is fine.” He handed her the phone. “Now, let’s talk to the coroner.”

  She dialed and asked for the coroner.

  “I’m sorry, but I can’t release the body until my investigation is complete,” he said, genuine sympathy in his voice. “I’m waiting for the results of the toxicology tests now.”

  “Do you have any idea how long? We need to plan Julie’s funeral.” Laramie felt Derrick slip his arms around her shoulders, and she leaned against him.

  “I’m sorry, I don’t know. It all depends on how backed up the lab is in Grand Junction. Maybe as much as a few weeks. I’ll let you know as soon as I have more information.” He paused. “There’s one more thing.”

  “Yes?”

  “Someone has to identify the body.”

  Laramie swallowed. “I’ll do it.”

  “Come to my office. I’ll meet you there.”

  “I’ll be there soon.” Laramie hung up and told Derrick the coroner’s timetable. “I can’t believe any of this.”

  Derrick squeezed her shoulder. “What do you want to do?”

  “Take my mind off all this.” She turned toward him. “Let’s get your cows.”

  “You’re not up to it.”

  “Of course I am. What could be better for me than riding in the mountains, getting some fresh air?” The more she talked, the better the plan sounded. She grabbed Derrick’s hand and tugged him toward the door. “Let’s go right after we see the coroner.”

  The plan made too much sense to refuse. Together, they started gathering food from the kitchen. Derrick went into his bedroom and returned, carrying two pillows and one sleeping bag. “I have only one bag left, everything else burned up in the fire, but you can use it. I’ll just cover up with a blanket.”

  “I have a bed.” The front end of Laramie’s horse trailer was a camper, set up for people who liked to go to horse shows or long trail rides. It had a bed, tiny kitchenette, even a shower.

  “I’ll bring this then, and sleep on the floor.”

  Laramie swallowed. “That won’t be necessary. We can share the bed.”

  He nodded, his dark eyes unreadable.

  Not sure what they had just agreed to — sleep or something more — Laramie moved toward the door trying to ignore her stomach flutters. “If you’ll fill the water tank, I’ll catch the horses.”

  • • •

  Lawrence’s cell rang, and after he checked the number, he answered, “Porter.”

  “Boss, I have some bad news. Your wife’s body was found at the bottom of a cliff over on the Big Misty.” The voice on the other end of the phone belonged to Lawrence’s deputy, Gabe Gonzalez. “Your sister and her boyfriend are saying you did it. That you killed her. The cops in Santa Anita want you to come in for questioning. They have an APB out on you.”

  Lawrence’s mind raced. He could figure a way out of this. “Laramie’s lying. I can prove I didn’t hurt Julie, but I need some time to talk to my sister. Make her see the light.”

  “What do you need me to do?”

  “Stall. Give me some time to reason with Laramie. Keep an eye on things and keep me posted. I’m going to lay low for a few days while I figure things out.” He needed supplies. Going into town was too risky. He’d have to trust someone. “Gabe? I need your help. Can you pick up a week’s supply of food and bring it to me? I’m on River Road. And one last thing. I need you to locate Laramie and let me know where she is.” He hung up and slid the phone in
his pocket.

  He needed a hit.

  After snorting a line, he felt better. One thing stood out clearer than any other — if it weren’t for Laramie none of this would have happened. He wouldn’t be in trouble if she had kept her nose out of his business. So they figured him for the crime? They wouldn’t take him in if he made her eat her words.

  The first thing he needed to do was shut Laramie’s big mouth. Apparently throwing her off that cliff hadn’t been a strong enough hint. He’d have to get tough with her to get through. A few hours with him, and she’d be pleading to see things his way.

  The boyfriend, however, was another story. He was a problem Lawrence hadn’t foreseen.

  But one he could deal with.

  He needed a plan. Going in half-cocked was a big mistake. He needed to ditch his sheriff’s Jeep because he was too recognizable in it. Before the tractor accident, his dad had driven an old Chevy pickup. It was stored in the shed behind his house. A few folks might remember it, but most probably wouldn’t recognize the nondescript brown color.

  Next, he needed a place to stay.

  He and his dad used to hunt deer over on Cedar Rim. They’d camped in an abandoned cabin. Nobody but them ever went there. A car and a hideout. Two problems solved.

  Taking care of Laramie and her boyfriend would put him back on track.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Laramie stared at Julie’s face for a long time. The shattered visage looked little like the once-beautiful friend Laramie remembered. But the body was Julie’s. Battered, bloated. A stranger, but still her. Derrick stood behind Laramie, his hands on her shoulders. His strength filled her, gave her courage. Slowly, she raised her gaze. “That’s her. That’s Julie.”

  The coroner nodded, and covered Julie’s face with a blue sheet. “You’re free to go. When I know something, I’ll be in touch.”

  If it hadn’t been for Derrick taking her hand and leading her from the room like a lifeline, Laramie didn’t think she would have made it. In the hall, he took her in his arms and held her close. The tears she expected didn’t come, just a mind-numbing rage. “I want to kill him.”

  Derrick tipped her chin up and looked into her eyes. “You don’t mean that.”